May 13 in history — What Happened Today in History

Li Hongzhi gives the first public lecture on Falun Gong in Changchun, People's Republic of China.

The Dinamo–Red Star riot takes place at Maksimir Stadium in Zagreb, Croatia, between the Bad Blue Boys (fans of Dinamo Zagreb) and the Delije (fans of Red Star Belgrade).

Large groups of students occupy Tiananmen Square and begin a hunger strike.

Police bomb MOVE headquarters in Philadelphia, killing six adults and five children, and destroying the homes of 250 city residents.

Mehmet Ali Ağca attempts to assassinate Pope John Paul II in St. Peter's Square in Rome. The Pope is rushed to the Agostino Gemelli University Polyclinic to undergo emergency surgery and survives.

An F3 tornado hits Kalamazoo County, Michigan. President Jimmy Carter declares it a federal disaster area.

A fire occurs in the Sennichi Department Store in Osaka, Japan. Blocked exits and non-functional elevators result in 118 fatalities (many victims leaping to their deaths).

The Troubles: A car bombing outside a crowded pub in Belfast sparks a two-day gun battle involving the Provisional IRA, Ulster Volunteer Force and British Army. Seven people are killed and over 66 injured.

In the aftermath of the 1969 Malaysian general election, Sino-Malay sectarian violence erupts in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Dr. Zakir Husain becomes the third President of India. He is the first Muslim President of the Indian Union. He holds this position until August 24, 1969.

Hundreds of University of California, Berkeley students congregate for the first day of protest against a visit by the House Committee on Un-American Activities.

During a visit to Caracas, Venezuela, the US Vice President Richard Nixon's car is attacked by anti-American demonstrators.

May 1958 crisis: A group of French military officers lead a coup in Algiers demanding that a government of national unity be formed with Charles de Gaulle at its head in order to defend French control of Algeria.

Ben Carlin becomes the first (and only) person to circumnavigate the world by amphibious vehicle, having travelled over 17,000 kilometres (11,000 mi) by sea and 62,000 kilometres (39,000 mi) by land during a ten-year journey.

The anti-National Service Riots, by Chinese middle school students in Singapore, take place.

The Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Parliament of India, holds its first sitting.

The 400th anniversary of the founding of the National University of San Marcos is commemorated by the opening of the first large-capacity stadium in Peru.

The inaugural Formula One World Championship race takes place at Silverstone Circuit. The race was won by Giuseppe Farina, who would go on to become the inaugural champion that year.

Aeroflot Flight 17 crashes on approach to Severny Airport in Novosibirsk, killing 25.

Arab–Israeli War: The Kfar Etzion massacre occurs, a day prior to the Israeli Declaration of Independence.

World War II: Yevgeny Khaldei's photograph Raising a Flag over the Reichstag is published in Ogonyok magazine.

World War II: Operations Vulcan and Strike force the surrender of the last Axis troops in Tunisia.

World War II: Germany's conquest of France begins, as the German army crosses the Meuse. Winston Churchill makes his "blood, toil, tears, and sweat" speech to the House of Commons.

Three children report the first apparition of Our Lady of Fátima in Fátima, Portugal.

The Royal Flying Corps, the forerunner of the Royal Air Force, is established in the United Kingdom.

The first edition of the Giro d'Italia, a long-distance multiple-stage bicycle race, begins in Milan; the Italian cyclist Luigi Ganna was the eventual winner.

With the passage of the Lei Áurea ("Golden Law"), the Empire of Brazil abolishes slavery.

Southern slave Robert Smalls steals the steamboat Planter, spirits it through Confederate lines and hands it to the United States Navy, who quickly commission it as the gunboat USS Planter and appoint Smalls as captain, thus making him the first black man to command a United States ship.

Romelu Lukaku, Belgian footballer

Debby Ryan, American actress and singer

Morgan Wallen, American singer-songwriter

Thievy Bifouma, Congolese footballer

Willson Contreras, Venezuelan baseball player

Tyrann Mathieu, American football player

Josh Papalii, New Zealand-Australian rugby league player

Mark Stone, Canadian hockey player

Jen Beattie, Scottish footballer

Francis Coquelin, French footballer

Junior Messias, Brazilian footballer

Alan Patrick, Brazilian footballer

Mychal Givens, American baseball player

Nina Otkalenko, Russian runner (born 1928)

David Sackett, American-Canadian physician and academic (born 1934)

Gainan Saidkhuzhin, Russian cyclist (born 1937)

David Malet Armstrong, Australian philosopher and author (born 1926)

Malik Bendjelloul, Swedish director and producer (born 1977)

J. F. Coleman, American soldier and pilot (born 1918)

Ron Stevens, Canadian lawyer and politician (born 1949)

Morning Glory Zell-Ravenheart, American occultist and author (born 1948)

Joyce Brothers, American psychologist, author, and actress (born 1927)

Otto Herrigel, Namibian lawyer and politician (born 1937)

Jagdish Mali, Indian photographer (born 1954)

Chuck Muncie, American football player (born 1953)

Fyodor Tuvin, Russian footballer (born 1973)